Great War memorial

When Port Washington resident Ken Grigas served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany in 1972, he often spent his free time visiting nearby World War I battlefields.

One of the most moving locations, and whose memory has stayed with him these past 46 years, was the site of the six-week Meuse-Argonne offensive, where 26,277 Americans were killed and 95,786 were wounded. The American Cemetery is where 15,000 American soldiers are buried.

“It was the largest battle the U.S. has ever fought. More than any battle in the Civil War or World War II,” he said. “But it’s been overshadowed and it’s a somewhat forgotten war.”

With this Veterans Day on Nov. 11 being the 100th anniversary of the World War I armistice, Grigas and others are trying to bring attention to what has been known as the Great War.

Grigas will speak about Ozaukee County’s and Wisconsin’s involvement in World War I at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, at the Oscar Grady Library in Saukville.

His presentation will coincide with a traveling exhibit from the Wisconsin Veterans Museum titled, “From Beyond the Trenches: Stories From the Front.” It will be at the library through Sept. 27.

Admission to Grigas’ presentation and to the exhibit is free.

More than 122,000 Wisconsin men and women served during World War I. The exhibit tells the story of the Great War through the eyes of Wisconsin veterans, using first person accounts to bring to life Wisconsin’s role in the war.

Thirty Ozaukee County residents lost their lives serving in the military during World War I, Grigas said.

“I’ll give an overview of the war and what it was like in the trenches and on the homefront,” Grigas said.

The exhibit is open to the public during regular library hours.  

Grigas also will lead another discussion on World War I at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 17, at the American Legion Rose-Harms Post 355 in Grafton as part of the Metro Milwaukee Military Historians monthly meeting. A dinner also will be served.

Admission is $8 without the dinner, $20 dinner included. Dinner reservations are required. Call Grigas at 284-0900 to make reservations or for more information.